Blowout patch on a rifle barrel

[Dennis Glazener]

At the Baltimore show today I saw a rifle that had a "patch" forge welded into/onto the left oblique of a rifle. I think the rifle was flint but I saw so many I can't swear to that. The interesting thing about it was that the "patch" was worn smooth from use. It was about 7 or 8 inches from the breech. The owner told me he also had an high art flint rifle that had a piece dove-tailed in the barrel. It served the same function as the blowout patch. He said that the dovetail may have been welded or brazed in place after it was installed.

Anyone else seen anything like this in an original barrel?
Dennis

[flintriflesmith]

Dennis,
I wouldn't call the ones I've seen "blowout" patches. More like welding flaw re-enforcement.

I only remember a couple and they were dovetailed and brass brazed.

A forge welded one would require re-boring the barrel due to scale and distortion of the hole.

Gary

[mr. no gold]

In my years, I have seen just two such barrels. One was on a fine Henry Albright, Lancaster rifle, which had an inch wide insert, dovetailed into the barrel somewhat ahead of the breech on the left quarter flat. It was stamped with what may have been the barrel maker's initials. The owner theorized that the maker had forged the barrel, repaired the flaw, and signed the repair to warrant that it was good. Interesting gun, and the reasoning on the purpose of the initials on the repair seems sound.
The other piece is one that is hanging up on my wall. It is a J. Bonawitz smooth gun and it has six small inserts dovetailed into the left quarter flat of the barrel located about half way down the octagonal portion of the half round barrel. They cover what seems to have been a rather wide flaw judging by what is visible of it.
Guess that they wasted as little as possible back in those times.
Dick   

[Mike Brooks]

I have seen a half dozen or more brazed repairss on rifle barrels. It's also not unusual to seeS X S shotguns with soldered on patche still being shot on the trap and skeet range at Friendship.

[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis,
I wouldn't call the ones I've seen "blowout" patches. More like welding flaw re-enforcement.

I only remember a couple and they were dovetailed and brass brazed.

A forge welded one would require re-boring the barrel due to scale and distortion of the hole.

Gary

Gary, "blowout" patch was my term not the owners. He just called it a welded repair. He said he felt the barrel had been re-bored and re-rifled after the repair. It was the first one I had seen and thought it interesting.
Dennis